Natural gums

thumb|right|alt=Small lumps of myrrh resin|Myrrh resin

thumb|Commercially produced powder of pectin, extracted from citrus fruits Pectin ( : 'congealed' and 'curdled') is a heteropolysaccharide, a structural polymer contained in the cell walls and middle lamellae of terrestrial plants. The principal chemical component of pectin is galacturonic acid (a sugar acid derived from galactose) which was isolated and described by Henri Braconnot in 1825. Commercially produced pectin is a white-to-light-brown powder, produced from citrus fruits for use as an edible gelling agent, especially in jams and jellies, dessert fillings, medications, and sweets; as

natural gum obtained from Acacia sensu lato tree sap

species of plant

thickening and stabilizing substance used in food and industrial applications

thumb|right|250px|Astragalus gummifer thumb|A dish of Tragacanth Tragacanth is a natural gum obtained from the dried sap of several species of Middle Eastern legumes of the genus Astragalus, including A. adscendens, A. gummifer, A. brachycalyx, and A. tragacantha. Some of these species are known collectively under the common names "goat's thorn" and "locoweed". The gum is sometimes called Shiraz gum, shiraz, gum elect or gum dragon. The name derives from the Greek words tragos (meaning "goat") and akantha ("thorn"). Iran is the biggest producer of this gum.

food additive and thickener

polysaccharide found in brown algae

class=skin-invert-image|thumb|Callose is an example of a (1→3)-β-D-glucan composed of [[glucose units]] Beta-glucans, β-glucans comprise a group of β-D-glucose polysaccharides (glucans) naturally occurring in the cell walls of plants (including cereals), bacteria, algae and fungi, with significantly differing physicochemical properties dependent on source. Typically, β-glucans form a linear backbone with 1–3 β-glycosidic bonds but differ with respect to molecular mass, solubility, viscosity, branching structure, and gelation properties, with several physiological roles in these organisms and c

thickening agent

sap or other resinous material associated with certain species of the plant kingdom

thumb|300px|Plantago afra, a member of the plant genus from which psyllium can be derived thumb|300px|Raw psyllium seeds alt=Psyllium Husk (Isbagol)|thumb|300px|Psyllium husk after processing Psyllium (), or Isabgol or ispaghula (), is the common name used for several members of the plant genus Plantago whose seeds are used commercially for the production of mucilage. Psyllium is mainly used as a dietary fiber to relieve symptoms of both constipation and mild diarrhea, and occasionally as a food thickener. Allergy to psyllium is common in workers frequently exposed to the substance.

thumb|283px|Canker-induced gummosis on a Tibetan cherry Gummosis is the formation of patches of a gummy substance on the surface of certain plants, particularly fruit trees. This occurs when sap oozes from wounds or cankers as a reaction to outside stimuli such as adverse weather conditions, infections, insect problems, or mechanical damage. It is understood as a plant physiological disease.

thickening agent in food

thumb|right|A segment of galactomannan showing mannose backbone (below) with a branching galactose unit (top) Galactomannans are polysaccharides consisting of a mannose backbone with galactose side groups, more specifically, a (1-4)-linked beta-D-mannopyranose backbone with branchpoints from their 6-positions linked to alpha-D-galactose, (i.e. 1-6-linked alpha-D-galactopyranose).

chemical compound

Glucomannan is a water-soluble polysaccharide that is considered a dietary fiber. It is a hemicellulose component in the cell walls of some plant species. Glucomannan is a food additive used as an emulsifier and thickener. It is a major source of mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) found in nature, the other being galactomannan, which is insoluble.

anionic polysaccharide produced by bacteria

resin, food additive and clinical reagent